With most parts of the world still on lockdown and most social interaction remaining online, there is a distinct lack of physical human contact in our lives. Even with all the emojis in the world, the emotions conveyed online are nowhere near as genuine as those expressed in real life and in real-time.
Body language is a powerful rhetorical tool — the tiniest of gestures can have a significant impact on our speeches. In this article, we will discuss the use of hand gestures, how you should present yourself, and when to move on a stage.
Hand gestures: the good, the bad, the dramatic
Similar to how facial expression and intonation brings life to your face and voice, hand gestures give colour to your body language. When done right, they transform your speech.
Positive hand gestures are those that complement and reinforce your message, not detract from it. There are four types of positive gestures: descriptive, symbolic, emotive, or prompting.
1. Descriptive.
These are gestures that depict space, movement, location, or shape. Descriptive gestures help the audience visualise the concept or story you are telling. For example, opening your arms wide shows length or distance. Swinging your hands may show flow while making a box with your fingers illustrates a square.
2. Symbolic.
Also known as suggestive gestures, these are hand movements that are universally recognised or attached to a particular concept, instruction, word, number, or position. For example, a thumbs-up shows support or agreement while a raised open palm signals attention or a halt. Pointing indicates a position while showing four fingers out implies the number 4.
3. Emotive.
Emotional or emphatic gestures suggest, emphasize, or amplify a feeling, sentiment, or emotion. For example, clasped hands can show sadness, while clenched fists can indicate anger. Open palms can show surrender or raised shoulders illustrates exasperation.
4. Prompting.
These gestures signal the audience to mimic a movement, follow instructions, or respond to a question. For example, having one hand out to an audience prompts them to answer a question while clapping your hands invites the audience to do the same.
